Media Releases

Lamb ad insults religions

Many Anglicans share the disappointment and anger of Australia’s Hindu community at the insensitive and disrespectful advertisement for lamb being run by Meat and Livestock Australia, Melbourne Anglican Bishop Philip Huggins said today.

The advertisement, featuring the deities of many religions, not only portrays the vegetarian Hindu God Ganesh eating meat, but puts Jesus Christ at the same table as L. Ron Hubbard and trivialises one of Jesus’ most beautiful miracles, Bishop Huggins said.

“The advertisement is cleverly disrespectful. It seems that for an ad to stand out there has to be some bizarre or shocking component. Otherwise the fear is it will not be noticed.”

Bishop Huggins said he knew that complaining about the ad would draw attention to it, but silence on such an insulting portrayal might be taken as tacit acceptance.

“Australia’s wool industry has thrived for more than two centuries without having to insult anyone to sell its product,” Bishop Huggins said.

He said his family had been sheep farmers from the early 19th century, persisting through drought, flood, and the fluctuations of the market. Like many farmers, they have always had deep respect for the stoic and uncomplaining nature of their flocks, for this land and profound gratitude to the Creator of all that is.

“Like most depictions of my faith in the public domain, this ad just left me feeling sad,” Bishop Huggins said.